Officers visiting Papa Chaffee's Rainbow on Tuesday were hoping to give the 4-year-olds a positive first experience with police. They succeeded in delighting them.

``I want to be a policeman!'' Zachary declared.

``When you're a little older, you all can be police officers,'' Officer Frank Dannahey said.

``Could I be one when I'm 6?'' Zachary asked.

Dannahey, the department's youth officer, and Sgt. Robert Catania visited the New Britain Avenue day care center as part of Cops and Tots, a new program in which officers introduce themselves to preschool children as friends to be trusted.

``We're getting in front of kids at a young age and giving them the opportunity to see us in a positive light,'' Catania said. ``We're reinforcing the fact that we're their friends, and we're there to help, not to take them away if they've been bad.''

Cops and Tots is an extension of programs in which Rocky Hill officers visit elementary schools. The programs turn out to be helpful first contacts when children later encounter police outside of school, Catania said.

Officers will be at the Stork Club today and Kiddie Kampus on Thursday.